I'll be interested in seeing ...

... how this turns out.


Always looking for new programming ideas, ESPN has come up with another — battling co-hosts.

Hugh Douglas, a first-round pick of the Jets in 1995, apparently had too much to drink last Friday night when he accosted his “Numbers Don’t Lie” co-host Michael Smith and vowed to beat him to a pulp during a party thrown by the National Association of Black Journalists at the House of Blues in Orlando, Fla.

The Big Lead website reported Douglas called Smith an “Uncle Tom” and a “House n—–.” Douglas, a 6-2, 280-pounder who spent 10 seasons in the NFL, was apparently trying to get on stage to join the DJ. He became incensed when Smith was hesitant to assist him. That’s when Douglas threatened to punch Smith out. Smith attempted to walk away, but Douglas grabbed him by the wrist before party-goers intervened to break things up. An ESPN spokesman said network suits were aware of the altercation and “were looking into the situation.” Still, it remains to be seen if Douglas and Smith will be able to work together.

On the air, Douglas has shown a propensity for shooting his mouth off. His verbal stylings have not changed much from his playing days. Douglas’ efforts seem to have impressed his bosses who have provided him with good assignments. Now, industry sources say Douglas’ ESPN gig could be in serious jeopardy. Deadspin reported seeds of the confrontation may have been planted a day earlier when Smith and Jemele Hill, another ESPN personality, spoke at an NABJ event. Douglas, who appeared to be drunk, wanted to take over the microphone, but Hill wouldn’t let him. Smith and Hill are longtime friends.

Douglas already has a high-profile incident under his belt. In 2005, while serving as a goodwill ambassador with the Eagles, got into a locker-room scuffle with Terrell Owens.

- See more at: http://bossip.com/815119/espns-co-host-hugh-douglas-threatens-to-fade-uncle-tom-house-na-michael-smith-during-black-journalist-conference-43081/#sthash.1s9NKnZc.dpuf

The next high-profile athlete contemplating making a tasteless remark — even a racial slur — should consider getting a part-time job at ESPN before flapping his yap.
The ESPN gig won’t protect you from your own stupidity, or even losing your job, but it will spare you the embarrassment of being lambasted by ESPN Radio Gasbags, like Stephen A. Smith, every five minutes.
In the wake of the Hugh Douglas caper, this can be said with much certainty. A couple of weeks after ESPN put a spotlight on Eagles wideout Riley Cooper for his use of the N-word, Douglas, the first-round pick of the Jets in 1995 and co-host of ESPN “Numbers Don’t Lie,” called “NDL” co-host Michael Smith an “Uncle Tom” and a “House N----” during an incident at the House of Blues in Orlando.
The Big Lead website reported this on Tuesday. Yet listening to ESPN Radio that day and well into Wednesday there wasn’t one word about Douglas dropping the N-word. Douglas wasn’t subjected to the same criticism, or scrutiny, that Cooper was. There were no repeated promos over-selling another Sal Paolantonio report, and the “latest” on the Hugh Douglas story, as there was for Cooper.
At 2:40 p.m. Wednesday on ESPN-98.7, Douglas’ name was actually mentioned. A double standard was revealed. A caller to Smith’s show said he had been listening for two days and “had not heard the Douglas situation addressed.” Smith, who had been all over the Cooper story, did not react well.
“That’s a very ignorant question,” Smith said.
Why? Like Cooper, Douglas had used the N-word. And it was Smith, while commenting on Cooper, who said the word shouldn’t be spoken by anyone — including black folks.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/raissman-stephen-espn-avoid-douglas-affair-article-1.1423268#ixzz2bqMTxEiw

Sports cable channel ESPN has fired commentator Hugh Douglas for his alleged behavior at a convention for journalists where he showed up drunk at two public events and insulted a black colleague in gross racial terms.

According to several published reports, Douglas became angry at Michael Smith, his former co-host, insulting him as a “house n-----” and an “Uncle Tom.”

Douglas confirmed his dismissal in a post on Twitter:

“I am very disappointed to be leaving ESPN and will have more to say about this situation and my future at the appropriate time,” Douglas said.

The former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end did not confirm that he had been in an altercation with Smith. ESPN, however, has confirmed something took place but has not discussed the particulars at all.

Douglas had joined “Numbers Never Lie,” the network’s sports statistics show in 2011.

He is actually the second black ESPN commentator to be dismissed for racial remarks. In December of last year, commentator Rob Parker provoked national outrage after he claimed that Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin was a “cornball brother” who was only “kind of black” because he is married to a white woman and is rumored to be a Republican. He was let go by the left-leaning sports channel shortly after his comments were made.



Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-sheffield/2013/08/13/espn-fires-commentator-hugh-douglas-drunken-racial-insults-agains#ixzz2bt7proJy